Guaidó has set a February 23 deadline for the tons of food and medicine supplies that have been stockpiled in the Colombian border town of Cúcuta to be allowed into Venezuela.

Branson, who is backing the show, dubbed "Venezuela Aid Live", told Reuters he expects money to flow in from many countries if the Tienditas Bridge crossing from Colombia to Venezuela can be opened.

Venezuela's deputy United Nations military attache, Col. Pedro Chirinos, said in a video on social media that he recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president, increasing pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.

Under Mr Maduro's orders, Venezuela this week blocked air and sea travel between Venezuela and the nearby Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao, another point where aid was being stockpiled.

The presidents of Colombia and Chile have publicly said they will attend the free concert, which has evoked comparisons to Irish rock star Bob Geldof's 1985 global "Live Aid" concert to raise money for starvation relief in Ethiopia.

The United States and scores of other countries have openly backed Guaido, who last month invoked constitutional provisions to assume the interim presidency after declaring Maduro's re-election past year illegitimate.

The embattled socialist leader also said he was considering "a total closure of the border with Colombia" to Venezuela's west. He will also meet with Venezuelan families who have fled Maduro's regime.

This trip will be Pence's fifth trip to Latin America as Vice President. "But I'm not going to go, because I don't think it's safe".

Donations to the event will be received online and via direct deposits.

Maduro announced Thursday that the border with Brazil - which along with Colombia is one of the main potential avenues for aid delivery - would be "completely and absolutely" closed from 8:00 pm (0000 GMT) until further notice.

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